Jonathan Roumie, the actor beloved for his role as Jesus in The Chosen, isn’t shy about sharing his faith with his fans. In fact, the devout actor often opens up about his spiritual life on social media. (He even revealed in 2023 that he had started praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary for the first time, admitting “I had never done that before.”)
So it came as no surprise to his followers when Roumie took to Twitter to post one of his all-time favorite prayers. Still, the choice of prayer might intrigue you – it’s not the Our Father or Hail Mary, but a less well-known devotion called the Litany of Humility.
Roumie shared the Litany of Humility on his X (Twitter) account, calling it “one of my favorite prayers ... profoundly poignant, in any station or stage of life. The Litany of Humility… ."
For a star in the public eye, it’s a fitting choice: This beautiful prayer is all about letting go of ego and embracing a humble heart.
The prayer is said to have originally been written by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val (1865–1930), who served as a Vatican diplomat and Secretary of State under Pope St. Pius X.
The litany consists of 16 petitions asking Jesus to deliver the believer from various desires and fears -- such as the desire for praise, or the fear of humiliation -- and 7 petitions requesting the grace to put others before oneself.
In other words, it’s a heartfelt plea for true humility. Roumie describes the prayer as “profoundly poignant” because it speaks to every soul, in every stage of life, who struggles against pride.
The Litany of Humility an important challenge today
Many saints and spiritual teachers have lauded humility as the cornerstone of a virtuous life. (Saint Augustine even taught that “humility is the foundation of all the other virtues,” without which no other virtue can truly exist.)
It’s easy to see why: Pride and self-importance lead us away from God and others, while humility brings us back.
The Litany of Humility confronts us with this reality in a challenging way. Line by line, it asks Jesus to free us from the need for admiration and approval, and to conquer our fears of being overlooked or criticized. For example, we pray to be delivered from the desire of being praised, and from the fear of being ridiculed. (Let’s face it, those are hard things to ask for -- who likes being ridiculed or forgotten?)
Yet that’s exactly the point of the prayer. By praying these difficult petitions as best we can, we begin to break the chains of pride and find a deeper freedom in trusting God’s love and providence.
Roumie’s openness about praying this litany is a wonderful witness. In an age of self-promotion on social media, here’s a public figure inviting all of us to cultivate humility. The Litany of Humility helps us imitate Christ, who said “learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). It reminds us that true greatness isn’t found in accolades or status, but in loving service and a heart aligned with God’s will.
Below is the full text:
Litany of Humility
Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
In the end, Roumie’s favorite prayer is more than just words on a page; it’s a path to greater freedom and love.
Humility frees us to embrace our identity as beloved children of God without needing applause or approval. Seeing a successful actor publicly embrace this truth is both surprising and refreshing.
It serves as a gentle reminder that holiness, not fame, is the real goal. So the next time we’re tempted to seek the limelight or cling to our pride, we might remember this litany (and Jonathan Roumie’s witness) and ask Jesus for a share in his humble heart. After all, as this powerful prayer shows, there’s tremendous strength in saying: “Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.”
